


Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor

by neonheartbeat



Series: A Handful of Stars [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fainting, Gen, Reylo - Freeform, deleted scenes from LLRI, literally what the tin says, posting because I didn't want to waste 2 and a half chapters worth of shit SO SUE ME
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 14:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15664638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neonheartbeat/pseuds/neonheartbeat
Summary: These are the alternate scenes from A Handful of Stars, namely the second half of Chapter 50 "Inauguration Day" and what morphed into chapters 51 and 52, "All Debts Paid" and "Reception". I had written these, then went back and realized it wasn't really the direction or the atmosphere I wanted for the storyline, so I re-wrote them all, to my own great annoyance; and now they are here for you to read. Enjoy!





	1. Alternate End of Ch 50

**Author's Note:**

> This picks up directly after the sentence in Ch. 50 where Matron Yori hustles the children out at the end of Ben's inauguration as Governor of Birren.

The applause petered out as people began socializing and exchanging handshakes and claps on the back. Rey wondered what she should do, and before she had time to decide, another maid hurried up to her. "Madame Rey," she said, and curtsied. "You're to stand in the receiving line with his Lordship. The Master of the Keys will escort you—"

It was mostly a blur from then out. Rey was hustled up to the antechamber through a hidden door (how many bloody hidden passages did this place even have?) and positioned next to Ben, who looked just as breathtaking up close as he had in the Hall. Fortunately, two seats had been provided, and there was some dithering about etiquette and whether or not she should stand or sit while Ben stood, but she solved that but informing the Master of the Keys that she would stand until her feet were too tired and after that she would sit. He seemed to find that agreeable, but once the doors opened and the flood of people came rushing toward them Rey almost wished she would have sat.

It became a nonstop rush of exhausting talking. Smile, nod, have her hand kissed, say something bland and polite, turn to the next person, wash, and repeat. Two hours in, she had to sit down, her stomach a tight knot and her legs weak.

Ben couldn't stop the receiving line to ask, so she heard him through the Force. _You all right?_

She smiled through gritted teeth at Baron Something-or-other who was kissing her hand. _I just realized I didn't eat breakfast._

 _Are you going to be okay??_ He smiled at a lady in an enormous feathered headdress who tittered and clasped his hands.

 _I'll let you know if I'm not,_ she responded. _Just keep smiling and kissing babies._

It wasn't until the sun was beginning to angle away from the wide doors to the Hall, sinking toward the horizon, that Rey tried to stand up too quickly to greet Poe and Finn and Rose as they came through the doors—and immediately stumbled, lightheaded, vision going sparkly, bright, then black.

"Rey!" Ben said, alarmed, jerking away from the man he'd been speaking to and catching her by the elbow as she fell.

"Can I help, milord Governor?" asked the man, wringing his hands.

Rose knelt down and Rey could feel her hands on her wrist, finding her pulse. Then, a hand on her forehead, but it felt curiously distant and strange. "Rose," she said, trying to turn her head, sightless eyes blinking hard.

"Deep breaths, Rey," said Rose gently.

"You're just fainting, don't panic," said Ben. To the man, he said, "Will you please go and fetch a Matron of the House? She hasn't eaten all day."

The man nodded, quite eager to help. "Of course, sir." He raced off, calling for a matron, and added on, "The Lord Governor's paramour has fainted!"

" _Paramour_?" Rey said groggily, fighting the sensation that she weighed as much as an X-wing. Distantly, she could hear people muttering and talking just as an ever-present groom nicked the doors shut and politely asked everyone to wait in the Great Hall until they opened the doors again, and then…

Ben looked down to see Rey, gone senseless and limp in a pool of heavy fabric on the floor. "She's out," he said crisply. "Where's that Matron?"

"Here, my lord," said Yori, hustling over through the hidden door. "The children have been sent back off into the apartments with Tuppi and a few maids. Now, then." She knelt by Rey's waxy face, fished around in her pockets, coming up with a small vial of some whitish substance, then held it in front of her nose.

Rey choked, snorted, then gagged and lurched up. "Oh, kark," she swore, and clutched at her face. "What—what—?"

"Ryesh salt. Nice and strong, high ammonia content. Burn the hair right out of your nose, I shouldn't wonder." Yori put the vial back in her skirt and got her arm under Rey's. "I do offer my sincerest apologies, my lord, for the oversight—"

"I'm a bloody grown woman," said Rey, feeling like she might cry, "and I should have remembered to eat, but I was trying to help with the kids this morning first thing, and then we had the —" Her throat stuck, and she felt dizzy again. "I'm sorry," she whispered at Yori.

"It's my job, my lady," said Yori gently, and helped her stand. "To your room, if you please. I'm having food sent up for you."

"But the guests—" Rey staggered a little, and Ben caught her on the other side. "I'm supposed to greet them."

"Well, and nobody's going to raise almighty if they don't shake your hands for two seconds, now are they?" Yori looked over at Ben. "You tell them her ladyship has taken ill and will join you at the fête later tonight."

"Yes, ma'am," he said automatically, then blushed.

"Well, at least _this_ Governor knows his place," Yori said to the groom with a little smile, and helped Rey out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of the reason I changed the way this was laid out was because I really didn't want "fainting" to be a plot device more than twice in the same story. It evokes 1800s corsets and Delicate Constitutions and that's not at all what I was going for. I did really like Yori's parts, though.


	2. Alternate Chapters 51-52

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was most of the content from chapter 51 (and some material that ended up in 52) that was re-written. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Again, more on the This Is Not Quite Right train of plot. I originally had Matron Tuppi telling Rey about the nobility lining up to propose to Ben as a matter of alliance, but I thought I should make that more of a one-off coming from Ben and have the real conflict in their decision to become formally wed be more personal and less influenced by outside pressure. Plus, I felt it was a bit out of character for Tuppi.
> 
> -Jaual's first appearance! I brought him back for the bridal shower. I didn't go into much description of him physically, but I see him as a very handsome biracial young man with great cheekbones and light eyes. Also, the velvet hood and cloak was inspired by a Paolo Sebastian piece, which you can see on my Pinterest board.
> 
> -Fireworks, totally re-used that scene. I really liked the dialogue of Ben and Rey bantering back and forth about the idea of a proposal while not actually deciding on anything, but in the end I changed that too and made Ben a lot more nervous and on edge when he initially proposes privately.

Two hours later, Rey had finished a large bowl of vegetable soup, a dish of some sort of mealy root, cubed and covered in cheese and crunchy meat and baked, and a large glass of water, and sat in her nightrobe looking out the window at the well-dressed guests milling about the lawn and gardens, snacking on the provided buffet and enjoying the evening.

"Well, your color's back," said Tuppi, picking up the tray. "The ball is scheduled to begin in about half an hour. Shall you dress and go down?"

"I suppose. Tuppi—what's a paramour?"

Tuppi's hard face went quite pink around the nose. "Ah. I—well. It's a term for a, erm, a love-partner. It generally carries connotations of a more formal relationship, but not a legally sanctioned one."

"Oh," Rey said, somewhat pink herself.

"Why do you ask, if I may inquire?" Tuppi gathered the plates and the bowl back onto the tray.

"Someone called me that in the receiving room," Rey explained. "He was shouting for a matron and—well."

"Indeed," said Tuppi, sounding as if someone was going to receive an earful later. "On a different subject, your gown for tonight is in the wardrobe, facing front."

"Thank you," Rey told her, and opened the wardrobe. "I shouldn't have stayed up here this long at all, Ben doesn't care much for crowds or politics."

"If I may speak freely," said Tuppi, hesitantly, which got Rey's attention because the woman had never been tentative a single day she'd known her. "You hold a great deal of affection for his Lordship. And he…holds a great deal of affection towards you. But I would advise you not to leap into a legal binding until you have thought about it, and spoken about it, completely—and come to a mutual understanding."

"I know that," said Rey, flushed. "I—we haven't gotten a chance to talk. Much. But—I mean—"

"There is no hurry," Tuppi assured her. "Just be aware that as governor he may receive some proposals, as you did this morning. Merely political alliances, really, or people looking to further their influence. But be aware."

The thought hadn't even occurred to Rey. She'd regarded the Earl of Cymburn as a bumbling, handsome fool with more money than sense, and suddenly it clicked—the white shimmersilk he had given her had been intended to make a wedding gown.

"Holy Force," she said weakly.

"Bear up, then," Tuppi said, half a smile quirking at that grim line of a mouth. "I'll send a groom to fetch you down. You've got half an hour." She picked up the tray and curtsied. "Madame."

~

Rey stood in front of her mirror, smoothing down the front of her gown. It was quite a bit more revealing than anything she'd worn earlier, and she eyed the pale gold silk distrustfully.

A groom—Jaual, she thought his name was—knocked and entered. "Ready, my lady?"

"This thing has no back," she informed the man. "Hardly any front either. And it's cold out. What on earth was I thinking?"

Jaual's mouth worked, as if to hide a smile. "There should be a few coats or robes in the wardrobe, my lady." Rey reached up and pulled a heavy velvet cloak and hood from the wardrobe. "It's a bit last season, but it should be warm enough."

"Thank heavens for a groom with some fashion sense," Rey told him as she yanked the cloak on, and he smiled, extending one arm as she settled it and stepped forward. "All right, let's go down."

After a walk down the stairs and into the back hall, they entered the garden to music and quite a lot of cheering as Rey was introduced. She smiled and looked around, just as Ben came up behind her and took her elbow. "You feel better?" he asked anxiously.

"I feel just fine. We got some food in me. Where are the kids?"

"Well, Tem ate an entire plate of sweets and threw up in a planter, so he's been dosed with bismol syrup and put to bed. I think the other four are headed up that way." Ben smiled down at her, and she noticed he'd changed his outfit, the ceremonial gold cloak replaced by a shorter, black one embroidered in gold down the sides. "You made it just in time for the fireworks."

Rey looked up in astonishment as a rocket launched into the sky over the garden, exploding in a shimmer of purple sparks, and the crowd cheered and oohed and aahed. "Oh, they're beautiful!" she said. "I've never seen them before."

Again and again, the fireworks flew into the sky and burst in sparkling colors of blue, red, gold, green. Rey stared at them, enchanted, blinking into the jewel-colored lights.

"Erm. Rey," said Ben awkwardly.

"Hmm?" she asked, barely able to tear her eyes away from the glimmering display.

"I've been thinking. About that conversation we left on the, uh, speeder backseat."

Rey turned and looked at him. "Oh. The marriage one?"

"Yes, that one," he said. "I think—I should very much like—that. If you're all right with it, I mean. I'm not—I don't know—"

Blinking, Rey stared at him. "Are you—is this—"

"It's not a proposal," he assured her hastily. "It's just me telling you what—I mean—that I'd be okay with it. But if you're not, then you don't have to—you—I don't really know what you want, of course, and I don't want to intrude into your mind to find out—"

Rey gently pressed her finger to his lips. "Shh," she said. "I know what—I mean I know that you're not. You know. Asking me." He closed his eyes and she felt his lips move slightly, his tongue just pressing against her finger. "There's people watching," she said, her heart thudding somewhere deep in her chest. " _Ben_."

"I don't care," he said in a soft, low growl, and took her hand, pressing her fingers to his lips and kissing them. "They can all have a good look and see where my loyalties lie. Especially—" he opened her hand up and kissed her palm—"Baroness Loren Y'chet."

"Baroness—" Rey cast about in her mind for a face to go with the name. "Oh, was that the lady who was batting her eyelashes at you in the receiving line? Blond?"

"No, the one standing by the ice sculpture," he said under his breath, and Rey looked over to see a red-faced noblewoman, possibly in her late thirties, in a transparent fuchsia caftan. She was staring at them, her hand clamped white-knuckled around a glass of rainbow champagne. "She got me into a corner and tried to climb me at the reception earlier."

Rey almost choked. "She did _what_?"

"Don't bother about it," he told her, lowering her hand, but still holding it tight. "I heard I wasn't the only one dealing with an unwelcome suitor today, either."

"The Earl? Tuppi told you, didn't she?" Rey flushed and let go of his hands to cover her face in embarrassment. "I had no idea that was what he wanted. He saw Ara and hurried out like he'd been stung."

"You," said Ben, smothering a laugh, "are absolutely hopeless."

"I'd make a terrible governor's wife," she teased, straight-faced.

"That remains to be seen." Music began to float out of the Hall, half-muffled by the fireworks. Ben bowed from the waist and held out his hand. "Might I have this dance?"

"I don't know how," Rey said, smiling and sliding her hand into his. "You'll have to teach me. And I can't promise I won't step on your feet."

He chuckled and led her into the secondary ballroom, where she shrugged out of her heavy cloak and handed it to a groom. "Thank you," she told him, and he bowed before taking it away. She turned to see Ben, face frozen, eyes glued to her gown. "Oh," she said, and smoothed down the front of the golden fabric—well, all the front of it that there was, which really wasn't much. "It's a bit over the top, isn't it?"

"Not at all," he said smoothly, and led her directly into the middle of the floor where a few other dancing couples swayed. "Stand just here," he said, stepping to her right a little so that his left shoulder aligned with her chest, "and you take my hand, like so." Her right hand slipped into his left, and his right hand rested on her waist, fingers brushing bare skin where the back of her gown plunged down.

"What now?" she asked.

Ben cocked his head briefly, listening to the beat of the music. "This," he said with a smile, and gently led her through a two-beat dance step, simple and easy to get the hang of. They swayed, the music soft and gentle, and when it ended, Ben stepped back a little and bowed, his right hand curled tight at his side as if he'd burned it. He opened his mouth, slightly flushed, and—

"Ah, Lord Governor," said a familiar voice, and Rey turned to see the Earl of Cymburn, all purple velvet and bright gold, smiling genially at her. "Madame Rey. We meet again! Might I have the next dance?"

"Oh, erm, uh," said Rey, flustered.

Ben opened his mouth to say something, but a blur of fuchsia and dark brown curls suddenly swept between them and a loud voice said, "Oh, Lord Governor! I have no partner, will you do me the honor?"

"D—dance partner, you mean," said Ben, startled, and Loren Y'chet let out a high-pitched giggle.

"Of course, my lord! Oh, look the music's starting—"

The Earl of Cymburn, just as flustered as Rey, stepped back from the magenta hurricane. "Gracious," he said faintly, and she sensed an air of distaste.

Rey decided she might have a more pleasant time dancing with him, after all. "I suppose I'll dance with you, then," she said, and he perked up a little. "But _just_ dancing."

This was a more high-energy dance that involved a lot of switching and hopping and going in small circles, and most of the guests on the floor were already a bit intoxicated and having the time of their lives. Round and round they want, Rey actually beginning to enjoy herself, when the music came to a bouncy close on a long note and the dancers all clapped, laughing and panting.

"You're quite an enthusiastic dancer, Madame," said the Earl over the applause as he favored one foot.

"Oh, dear, sorry about your feet," Rey said, feeling genuinely apologetic.

"Where's our friend, the Baroness?" The Earl scanned the room, a line forming between his high, fine eyebrows, and Rey realized with a start that neither Ben nor the Baroness were visible at all. "I think we had better go rescue his lordship."

"Yes, I think so," said Rey worriedly. After what Ben had mentioned of the Baroness cornering him, she felt she had cause to.

The Earl stuck out his elbow and Rey tucked her hand into it, and they went out, poking through the outside antechamber. It was quiet, a few people sitting in alcoves and speaking, but no sign of either of them. "Where on earth could they have gone?" he wondered aloud.

Rey reached out, touching the Force, and sensed Ben, a bright spot somewhere in the Great Hall. "He's here," she said quickly, and darted away from the Earl to the other side of the room, pushing the heavy, well-balanced door to the Hall slowly open on its silent hinges.

The first thing they heard was Loren, speaking in a manner that Rey could only describe as _simpering._ "Oh, but your Lordship—"

"I need to _go_ ," said Ben politely, a note of barely reined-in frustration in his voice. "Baroness, you are keeping me from my guests and from my duties."

"I know all about guests and duties!" she chirped, from somewhere in the back of the Hall. Rey began to inch her way up in the dark, stepping softly, the Earl behind her. "My old tutor used to say I would make a fine hostess. I would _love_ to host a few galas for you here, my lord governor. And if you like my work, I'm sure a…partnership can be arranged."

"No, thank you, said Ben, a little less politely. Rey heard him shift. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my—my—Rey will be wondering where I am."

Loren huffed. "Oh, your little pet? In that ugly silk thing that's practically falling off? Don't be silly, my lord. She's a child. A distraction. And she doesn't even have any noble blood. You could do so much _more_ with a real noblewoman at your side—"

"First of all," said Ben, who was getting very angry indeed by the sound of his voice, "you're wearing a see-through bedsheet as a dress, so you don't get to make snippy little comments about what my girlfriend wears to a party. Second of all, I am not interested in your proposal, and I thought I made that clear the first time you tried to have this conversation."

"This gown is a Blaire Ghuy, thank you very much," Loren snapped angrily.

"Well, whoever Blaire Ghuy is, they sure took the easy way out in garment-making," Ben retorted.

Rey, fighting a choked laugh, peeped over the aisle with the Earl behind her, and saw Ben, sitting on the stone seat on the dais with a look of mingled terror and anger on his face, Loren almost squatting in his lap, awkwardly straddling both his legs with both hands on his chest, effectively trapping him there. Seeing this, she decided it was probably time to come to the rescue.

"Fancy seeing you here," she said quite clearly, standing up.

Loren shrieked and toppled to the right, whirling around and staring at Rey. "You!" she spluttered. "You—" Behind Rey, the Earl stood up. Loren gaped and swiveled her head from them to Ben, as if unsure he could see them. "You're in here—with the _Earl_? You're—I told you, my lord, she's a silly child with no judgment. In here—cavorting with some other man—"

The Earl snorted. "Baroness Y'chet, isn't it? I know all about you. Didn't you pledge to your last very wealthy old husband, the shipping magnate, that you'd be faithful and true to him only, and when he was dying in bed upstairs, your maid found you… with his groom?"

Loren went white, and then flushed a shade dark enough to match her gown. "That is a—that's—that's a rumor, nobody has any proof. Just because he left me all his money, people are—who—who's saying that?"

"Well, not your maid, since you ran her off with threats. But don't worry. All grooms talk to each other, don't they?" The Earl waited, one eyebrow raised, and Loren had nothing to say.

Ben took advantage of Loren's shock to stand up and back a few steps away. "Madam," he said quite coldly, "I think it best you leave the premises, and do not come back."

"You've—you've taken _advantage_ of me," Loren wailed, and began to cry great big false tears, sitting down plump on the dais. "He wooed me! He dragged me into the Hall and begged me to wed him!" Rey couldn't help herself. She laughed, a hysterical snort, and Loren paused from dramatically sobbing to glare at her.

"Both of us heard the entire conversation," said the Earl, very calmly. "You can leave, or I can fetch a few Matrons and have them escort you out. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to, after the last dinner party thrown by Lord Mellowyn where you drank a bottle and a half of rosewine and fell down the stairs."

Loren leaped to her feet, and gathered the floaty folds of her dress around her. "I take my leave," she announced, with all the dignity she could muster, and hurried out of the Hall, her curls bouncing up and down as she went.

The doors slammed shut and Ben exhaled loudly. "Don't let her bother you, my lord," the Earl said. "She's a…quite colorful person. Always the center of attention at any party."

"I'll say," said Rey. "Thank you for coming with me."

"Of course," he said, and bowed smartly. "I'll leave you two to speak, I think. Good evening." He retreated down the aisle, and the distant doors shut.

Ben groaned and rubbed his temples. "Kark me, I hate this new job."

Rey reached out and took his hand. "You did really well, though. Are you all right? Did she—did—"

He sat down on the stone seat again and sighed heavily. "I don't want to talk about her," he said, and Rey put her hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to, then," she said. "But I'm here all the same."

Ben wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her, face pressed to her stomach. "I'm glad you are," he muttered into her gown, and she wound her fingers into his hair, stroking gently, until he relaxed a little and sighed. "Sometimes it doesn't seem real, you know," he said softly. "Any of this."

"I know what you mean," she said. "Don't worry. After tonight, we should be left alone, mostly."

"I'm looking forward to that," Ben said, and leaned back, looking her up and down. "Very much so."

Rey giggled in spite of herself. "You stop that," she ordered, and bent down to kiss his forehead. "You still have guests to talk to, and I suppose I should act as your bodyguard from here on out."

"Ah, yes," he said. "Protecting me from the unwanted advances of terrifying wealthy women. Very chivalrous."

"I mean, I could always just go to bed," she teased, and his eyes widened in mock horror.

"No, no, please stay," he said. "I need your protection, my lady."

"Fine," said Rey, pulling him to his feet and taking his arm. "But I get all your dances for the rest of the night."

"Deal, he said, grinning, and together they walked back down the aisle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- The Earl Of Cymburn! I initially wanted Rey to view him with a bit of suspicion, only for him to sort of prove himself a worthy friend during the situation with the Baroness. I changed it to their second meeting being alone without Ben there because I felt that would be a little more interesting plot-wise. 
> 
> -I changed the Baroness's tactical maneuver from "dragging Ben off into the Hall to try to get at him again" to "being tipsy and insisting he was going to marry her in public, banking off peer pressure to win" because I felt like I didn't have a good reason for Ben to follow her into the Hall in the first place, and that if that conversation was going to happen at all, it would be in public because Ben definitely wouldn't leave a room with Rey in it. Maybe she pretended to sprain her ankle or something. We just don't know. 
> 
> -I really liked Ben getting angrier and angrier as Loren kept pushing and pushing, to the point he starts being snippy about her outfit; I liked giving her some dialogue and backstory beyond "I want a better title and I'm an elitist jerk". But in the end I felt it was all a bit too over-the-top cartoon villain, especially combined with her literally sitting on Ben, so I toned it down.
> 
> \- (Easter Egg: Blaire Ghuy is a re-working of my father's name. Pronounce it "Blare-ghee".)
> 
> -

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the reason I didn't care for this line of plot was because I felt like having fainting used as a plot device three times in the same story was really lazy and also reminiscent of some sort of 19th century novel, which wasn't quite what I was going for. I did, however, really like Yori's dialogue.


End file.
